Colorado Rockies

March 11, 2014

What we know about Kyle Parker at this point is that he has the one tool most rare in today's baseball world - right-handed power. Currently a corner outfielder, the Rockies are trying to increase Parker's versatility by giving him additional reps at first base, writes Cash Kruth of MLB.com.

No matter where Parker plays, he'll need to hit.

Photo by Brian Bissel - Future Star Photos

The Rockies began this experiment towards the end of 2013, a year that Parker spent entirely in Double-A en route to hitting .288/.345/.492 with 23 doubles and 23 home runs. Parker played 18 games at first base towards the end of last season after having played the outfield exclusively to that point in this career.

Moving in from the outfield (and having played primarily left field), there won't be much additional pressure on Parker's bat to produce at such an offensively-important position. The power comes easy to Parker, who does not need to cheat or sell out in order to drive the ball. If his power is able to translate against major league pitching (a legitimate question), it will hold up as well at first base as it did in the outfield. The question about Parker will be his ability to handle the bigger glove.

The Rockies are optimistic about the transition, as well they should be. The former college quarterback is a good athlete who is used to being in different athletic situations. He's not fast, but that's also not a prerequisite for playing first base.

The move is also not permanent. When Parker heads to Triple-A to start the 2014 season, expect him to bring both gloves to Colorado Springs and split time between first base and left field. With some uncertainty at first base (no I'm not sold on Justin Morneau) and the possibility that at least one of their corner outfielders could be traded at the trade deadline if the Rockies aren't good (a distinct possibility), giving Parker options can only enhance his chances at cracking the Rockies major league lineup at some point this season.

A shift to first base isn't a knock on Parker's outfield defense so much as it is a way to try to get him into the lineup. The real question is in Parker's hit tool and how it translates against better pitching and whether it allows his power to come out in games. If it does, it won't matter much where he's playing.

We hear fabricated fluff pieces about the chances of prospects making Opening Day rosters every year, but in Gausman's case, it's not fluff.It's not a given, but he does have a shot. Regardless of whether it's on Opening Day or not, Gausman is a part of the Orioles plans this year and will be in the majors this year.

ETA: 2014

What Could Speed It Up: A strong spring will get him there in a month.

What Could Slow It Down: Gausman did not pitch well in the majors last season. That's not an indictment on his talent, but if it happens again, he could need extended time in Triple-A, where he made just 8 appearances.

You're going to hear even more fluff pieces about Syndergaard than you will about Gausman, and rightly so, as he's certainly one of the Mets five best pitchers. But there is little chance he breaks camp with the team unless the Mets spring pitching injury rash continues. Unlike the Orioles, who expect to compete, the Mets have little incentive to start Syndergaard's service clock until after the super two deadline. Barring a bad decision from the Mets, it's pretty easy to predict that Syndergaard will be in the majors sometime in June.

ETA: June 2014

What Could Speed It Up: If the Mets starters continue to get injured and the Mets get desperate.

What Could Slow It Down: It's hard to see him getting called up any later than June unless he gets hurt.

Ventura has the best shot of these three starters to make his team's opening day roster, as he battles for the final spot in the Royals rotation this spring. They may elect to hold him off for a few months, but for a team desperate to compete before James Shields potentially departs this winter, they need all the additional wins they can get.

ETA: 2014

What Could Speed It Up: Could easily be Opening Day if he has a strong spring.

What Could Slow It Down: The Royals do have some other options, like Danny Duffy, who can take the final spot in their rotation, which could delay Ventura until May or June.

This is about as high as you'll see a player on a list like this who hasn't even reached full-season ball. Giolito is worthy of the ranking, however, and will be the best pitching prospect in baseball once the names above him graduate to the big leagues. Giolito has a long way to go and already has one Tommy John surgery scar on his elbow, but that appears to be behind him now and he could hit the ground running this year. He'll start in Low-A ball, but could finish in the Carolina League. The biggest thing holding him back at this point is the amount of time it will take for him to build up an acceptable workload for the majors.

ETA: 2016

What Could Speed It Up: Giolito has a truly elite arsenal of pitches that could prove the low minors to be too easy for him.

What Could Slow It Down: He threw just 36 2/3 innings last year so the Nationals will probably restrict his innings this year. That will make it hard to build up to what he needs for a major league season in the little amount of time it will take him to be good enough to pitch there.

Sano made it all the way to Double-A last year as a 20-year-old. Once there, he struggled with contact to a certain extent, but still hit 19 home runs in 67 games. The power is for real and is the best in the minors. You could put him in the majors tomorrow and he'd hit 20-25 home runs, but it's what kind of hitter he'd be in the process that we're still unsure of. The Twins major league futility and strong farm system will make it hard to hold off on promoting Sano as the season progresses, but he could use at least a few months in Triple-A this year to further refine his approach and allow his power to play.

ETA: Late 2014

What Could Speed It Up: When Sano has 30 home runs in the minors in July and the Twins are 20 games below .500, it will be hard to justify not calling him up.

What Could Slow It Down: If he continues to hit .230 while displaying that power, the Twins could hold off, but not for long.

Unlike most players on this list, Bundy's ETA has nothing to do with his development. Bundy is already throwing on flat ground in his recovery from Tommy John surgery and is aiming to be back by June. It's not a given that he'll head directly to the majors when that happens, but it's not a crazy thought that if he's healthy this fall, he'll get a few starts down the stretch for the Orioles.

ETA: Late 2014

What Could Speed It Up: He'll be healthy this summer, and could head straight to the Orioles rotation.

What Could Slow It Down: Any setback in his recovery or if the Orioles want him to build up arm strength in the minors.

Gray made it all the way to the High-A California League in his draft year and dominated once he was there. That could be all the justification the Rockies need to get him out of a tough pitcher's league and start him in Double-A. If he does, he could make a late-season cameo in the majors, but that would be aggressive.

ETA: Summer 2015

What Could Speed It Up: If he starts in Double-A and has success, he could get a few late-season starts once the Rockies are out of contention.

What Could Slow It Down: More likely is that he starts in the California League, which can rough up even the most advanced pitching prospect.

Like Gray, Bryant finished his draft year in High-A ball and was dominant once there. The Cubs have the same decision to make with Bryant - Florida State League or Southern League. If they jump him straight to Double-A, he too could see a late-season call-up. For the Cubs, however, some positional blockage does factor in, with Javier Baez also in contention for a call-up and potentially having to slide over to Bryant's spot at third base in order to get at-bats in the majors. Between an aggressive promotion and a crowded infield, it may be difficult for the Cubs to get Bryant time in the majors this fall, but it won't be because he doesn't deserve it.

ETA: June 2015

What Could Speed It Up: A strong season could easily get Bryant to the majors by August or September.

What Could Slow It Down: If Starling Castro returns to form and remains at short stop, Baez will have to slide to third and Bryant will have to go somewhere else, potentially slowing down his assent.

For Hedges, the glove is ready now. The only question for the Padres is how long they want to wait for the bat to catch up. Hedges will return to Double-A this season where he got just 20 games last year. He could make the jump to the majors from there, but it won't be right away. The Padres actually have some strong catching depth at the major league level, allowing them to take their time with Hedges.

ETA: Summer 2015

What Could Speed It Up: With catchers, injuries are always a concern. If they end up with an opening in the majors, Hedges could come fill it and do more than hold his own.

What Could Slow It Down: He is slightly blocked, though it shouldn't stop him long-term. It may be just enough to keep him in the minors until he's absolutely ready, however.

The Pirates are pretty transparent when it comes to handling their prospects, so we can pinpoint, almost to the day, when Taillon will probably be promoted. He will be on the same schedule that Gerrit Cole was on last season, and while he's not the same kind of prospect as Cole, there's no doubt he'll improve the Pirates starting rotation when he arrives in June.

ETA: June 2014

What Could Speed It Up: The Pirates are very strict about promoting prospects too early and have plenty of pitching depth to prevent them from making a bad decision.

What Could Slow It Down: If the Pirates rotation is crowded and guys are performing well, there may not be a spot for Taillon even after the super two deadline passes.

An OPS comfortably over 1.000 in 62 games in Triple-A should be enough to convince people that there's not much left for Springer to prove in the minors, but that doesn't mean he won't start the 2014 season there. Of course, if Springer doesn't make the Astros Opening Day roster, and there's a decent chance that he won't, it will be more for financial reasons than about his talent. Regardless, he'll be in the majors no later than June.

ETA: June 2014

What Could Speed It Up: A red-hot spring that convinces the Astros to ignore common-sensical things like service time and controlling arbitration costs.

What Could Slow It Down: Only an injury to Springer will keep him from getting to Houston this summer.

Appel may actually be one of the Astros five-best starting pitchers right now, but much like with Springer, there's much more to the equation than that. In addition to the contract concerns, there's also still more to get out of Appel and the Astros aren't going to rush their most recent top overall pick to the majors. Appel is talented enough, however, that he will get to the majors quickly enough on his own without being rushed, perhaps as soon as this fall. I'd expect him to begin the season in the High-A California League and hit Double-A by the all-star break, if not sooner.

ETA: Late 2014

What Could Speed It Up: If Appel dominates early in the season, he could theoretically be up by the summer, although that would be extremely quick.

What Could Slow It Down: Appel didn't dominate in his stints after signing last year, and if his performances are simply adequate (by his standards) again, the Astros could allow him to take some more time.

It's difficult to tell what the Reds are going to do with Stephenson to start the 2014 season after giving him two mid-season promotions, each of which resulted in four-start stints in High-A and Double-A, respectively. They could send him back to Bakersfield, but that's not a place you want your pitching prospects to spend much time. If not, he will head to Pensacola where he should spend most of the 2014 season. They've been relatively aggressive with him so far, however, and a really strong season could see him in the majors towards the end of the year.

ETA: June 2015

What Could Speed It Up: An assignment to Double-A and a strong performance once there.

What Could Slow It Down: Being assigned to the California League and running into trouble once there.

The center field job is Bradley's to lose, and he should be much more prepared for it this season than he was last year when he was forced into action prematurely. The Red Sox haven't even prepared themselves with too many other options outside of Bradley other than stretching the limits of Shane Victorino's aging legs.

ETA: Opening Day 2014

What Could Speed It Up: N/A

What Could Slow It Down: I guess a terrible spring could make the Red Sox waiver, but i doubt it.

The Pirates are pretty predictable when it comes to promoting prospects, so we can safely assume that we will see Polanco get called up to the majors when the Super 2 deadline has safely passed sometime in June. It's the procedure they used with Starling Marte in 2012 and Gerrit Cole in 2013 and they have it down to a science. They even kept right field wide open for him by deciding to use the pu pu platter of Travis Snider and Jose Tabata there until they are ready to promote Polanco. Essentially, there's nothing standing in his way.

ETA: June 2014

What Could Speed It Up: The Pirates won't let themselves be tempted by a strong spring or terrible play in the majors. He won't be up before June.

What Could Slow It Down: An injury or a terrible start to the spring could hold the Pirates off from promoting Polanco.

We're going to start seeing the first few waves of Cubs prospects soon, likely as soon as this year, but Almora will be one of the last waves to reach the majors. Almora was great in 2013 in Low-A ball, but after missing part of the season with a hamate bone injury, he played just 61 games. They went very well, however, so he could easily start the 2014 season in High-A Daytona. The Cubs are likely willing to give him a full year at each stop, but he may not need it, and the Cubs have shown a willingness to promote top position prospects mid-year as they did with Javier Baez.

ETA: Late 2016

What Could Speed It Up: If Almora continues to hit the way he did in the Midwest League, he won't need a full season at each level.

What Could Slow It Down: The Cubs could return him to Low-A ball, though I doubt they will, and that would throw off his timetable.

The Rockies direction this off-season has been difficult to figure out, but they appear to be trying to contend. When that doesn't work, they're going to have to turn to their top prospects to keep fans in the seats. Butler, who should start the year in Double-A but probably won't need the entire season there. He could be in Triple-A by mid-summer or skip it altogether if the Rockies so choose. Butler has come in extremely strong in prospect circles over the past six months, and that will likely lead to a big league call-up at some point in 2014.

ETA: Late 2014

What Could Speed It Up: If the Rockies season goes south sooner than expected, they could turn to Butler.

What Could Slow It Down: If the Rockies want him to spend most of the season in Double-A and/or hit each level of the minors.

When should he get called up or when will he? I'm a big Stroman fan and believe him to be one of the Blue Jays five best starters right now. I'm usually the one arguing for keeping prospects in the minors until they are completely ready and calling them up when it's contractually advantageous, but the Blue Jays want to go for it, and Stroman allows them to do that. He probably won't make the Opening Day roster, however, because the Blue Jays have other options and Stroman can still realistically head to Triple-A for a few months.

ETA: Mid-2014

What Could Speed It Up: Stroman is one prospect who could actually wow his way into a rotation spot this spring.

What Could Slow It Down: If the Blue Jays starting pitchers have success and block him temporarily, or if he struggles in Triple-A.

The Diamondbacks appear prepared to enter spring training with a battle at shortstop featuring Owings and Didi Gregorius, so when Owings will get back to the majors is very much in his control. We do know that he'll be there at some point in 2014.

ETA: 2014

What Could Speed It Up: If he wins the battle in spring training.

What Could Slow It Down: He could get blocked if Gregorious beats him out and then plays well.

At just 18, the Royals have plenty of time to develop Mondesi properly. He already has a full year of Low-A ball under his belt, so the next logical step is High-A Wilmington. That's a tough place to hit, making it unlikely that he hits his way into a mid-season promotion. Mondesi will likely take it level-by-level, and that's fine given his age.

ETA: June 2017

What Could Speed It Up: If, at some point, he really takes off with the bat, he'll jump a level mid-year.

What Could Slow It Down: If he struggles in Wilmington as so many Royals hitting prospects have, he could need a return trip there next season.

February 17, 2014

One of the biggest questions I get all the time is when a particular prospect will reach the major leagues. Every fan wants to know when his team's top prospect will be there. The answer is always tricky. It's easy to slap a year on a player as an ETA, and often times that will end up being correct, but there is always more too it than that. A lot of things can go wrong or right between now and that date that either speed up or slow down that time table.

In a ten-part series scheduled to run each weekday over the next two weeks, I'll take a deeper look at each of the game's top prospects. I'll be using the Top-101 list from Baseball Prospectus because, well, I'm biased and think it's the best list because I played a small part of the behind-the-scenes discussion in coming up with their list.

Well, we'll start off with an easy one. Romero made his major league debut late last season, so it won't be long before he's in the majors for good. He's made as many Triple-A starts as major league ones (1) so he could use some time in Durham, but he'll be in the Rays minds when they need an additional starter this season. He'll be in Tampa at some point in 2014.

ETA: 2014

What Could Speed It Up: An opening in the Rays rotation.

What Could Slow It Down: Injuries or all healthy starters in the majors.

Johnson has just eight High-A starts to his name, so Cubs fans desperate to see some pitching prospects come up still have a while to wait. As a former collegiate arm, he could move more quickly than some prospects and he'll be 23 in May. That could lead the Cubs to be aggressive with Johnson and start him in Double-A this season. If he starts in Double-A and has success, he could move quickly, including a late-season call-up. That would be a best-case scenario but one that would take a lot of things falling into place. Most likely is that he spends the majority of this season in Double-A and gets called up at some point during the 2015 season.

ETA: Mid-2015

What Could Speed It Up: Starting the season in Double-A and having success.

What Could Slow It Down: Struggling with the jump to the upper minors.

These low-ceiling, major league-ready prospects are easy to predict. Davidson made his major league debut with the Diamondbacks last year but joins a new organization this season. He has little left to prove in the minors and is what he is at this point. The only thing that stands in his way in Chicago is if they have a residual commitment to the contact they gave Jeff Keppinger last winter.

ETA: 2014

What Could Speed It Up: Nothing, it's Opening Day.

What Could Slow It Down: The White Sox overpaid Jeff Keppinger last year. If they want to keep playing him, there's no room for Davidson. Unlikely.

Biddle is the Phillies best pitching prospect and spent the entire 2013 season in Double-A, with mixed results. His 10 strikeouts per nine innings indicated an ability to miss bats that the Phillies could use in their rotation right now, but his 5.3 walks per nine was a disaster. Clearly there is more work to be done. Biddle is slated to spend the entire 2014 season in Triple-A, both because he needs the work there and because the Phillies actually have pretty good pitching depth at the major league level. The addition of A.J. Burnett gave them seven major league options ahead of Biddle for five spots. Things can happen, of course, but it doesn't look like the Phillies will need Biddle this season. If he proves he's ready, on the other hand, he could force their hand. The most likely scenario is that the Phillies fall out of the race and want to give Biddle a taste of the majors in August and September.

ETA: Late 2014

What Could Speed It Up: Injuries or ineffectiveness by Phillies major league starters coupled with success by Biddle in Triple-A.

Gallo is known for his prodigious power, and it's what will get him to the majors. That power, however, comes with a ton of strikeouts. If the Rangers are okay with that or don't think he'll ever develop into a more refined hitter, then they can move him at their own pace. If they want to see if he can develop into a hall-of-fame level power threat, however, they'll need to give him plenty of time in the minors. Gallo just turned 20 after the season, and should spend his entire 20-year-old season in High-A ball. He will probably need an entire minor league season at each level, which could still put him in the majors at 23. Something tells me he won't get that much time in the majors, but if the Rangers decide to do a multi-level year with him at some point, it probably won't be until the upper minors. If he develops properly, I could see him spending only a short stint in Triple-A.

ETA: Summer 2016

What Could Speed It Up: If he gets the strikeouts under control without sacrificing too much power, he could really shoot through the minors. He's already productive, he just needs to learn how to control it.

What Could Slow It Down: If the strikeouts don't improve, he could need 2,500 minor league at-bats.

Dozier isn't flashy, nor does he have a high-ceiling, but he does a lot of things well and gets the "gamer" tag. That, coupled with being a college draftee, make him a candidate to move quickly. He was just drafted in 2013 and has yet to reach full-season ball, but he could easily jump straight to High-A Wilmington to start the 2014 season. That's a tough assignment for a hitter but if he handles it, he could finish the season in Double-A and be looking at a 2015 call-up. If the Royals play it safe, it could be more of a 2016 ETA. A lot will depend on his placement this season, but there's not a ton of development left in his game so he won't need a ton of time at each minor league level.

ETA: Late 2015

What Could Speed It Up: Handling an assignment to Wilmington well.

What Could Slow It Down: The Royals being conservative with his assignment this year and putting him in Low-A ball.

Not all raw prospects take forever to get through the minors, and Tapia could be an example of that. He has yet to reach full-season ball despite having recently turned 20, but once he does, he could be a player that jumps two levels in a year. He will likely never have a refined approach at the plate no matter how much time he spends in the minors, so the real question is how his ability to barrel up the ball (a plus skill on his part) works at higher levels. If it does, he could handle both Low and High-A ball in 2014 and hit Double-A as a 21-year-old in 2015. That would put him on a track for late 2016 in the majors. If he needs more time than that, we're looking at 2017.

ETA: Late 2016/Early 2017

What Could Speed It Up: If the low minors aren't more of a challenge for him than short-season ball was, he could get bumped to the upper minors quickly.

What Could Slow It Down: Struggles against advanced pitching in the upper minors.

Another young player who has yet to reach full-season ball, Reyes could also move quickly once he does. He has the complete package and is already somewhat well-developed for an 19-year-old. The Cardinals, on the other hand, have been conservative with some of their international pitching prospects, most notably Carlos Martinez. Martinez spent three full seasons in the minors after his initial half-year in a short-season league. Using that schedule, we could see Reyes in the majors towards the end of 2016. With the Cardinals, there's also always the possibility of a blockade at the major league level.

ETA: Late 2016

What Could Speed It Up: Dominating the low minors.

What Could Slow It Down: Needing a full season at each minor league stop.

Bonifacio is only 20 and has already spent some time in Double-A, so you'd think he'd be on the fast track, but that's not necessarily the case. Most scouts believe that Bonifacio will hit for power, but it simply hasn't happened yet. If he wants to continue to move quickly, he'll need to do so soon. His path through the minors depends solely on that development. If the power comes, he'll move quickly. If not, he could spend a while in Dobule-A.

ETA: 2015

What Could Speed It Up: The development of his power.

What Could Slow It Down: If the power doesn't come, he's a below-average major leaguer.

Dahl should have a full-season in Low-A under his belt, but a hamstring injury all but cost him his season. He could return to Low-A ball this year, but he won't be there for long. The Rockies could also choose to start him in the High-A California League. Either way, many scouts expect Dahl to take off once he gets on the field. He should begin the 2015 season in Double-A either way, putting him just a step from the majors if need be. An ultra-aggressive approach could see him as a September call-up next fall, but 2016 is more likely.

ETA: June 2016

What Could Speed It Up: If he tears though the low minors like he never missed the 2013 season.

What Could Slow It Down: If he struggles more than expected in full-season ball.

At just 18-years-old and having yet to leave the complex Gulf Coast League, Thorpe is perhaps the furthest player on our list away from the majors. There are any number of things that could go wrong in his development between now and the majors. As an Australian-born player, he'll likely need plenty of time in the minors. He'll probably stay back in extended spring training this season then pitch in a short-season league, hitting full-season ball in 2015. If he spends a full year at each level, that puts him in the majors in 2018 at age 22.

ETA: 2018

What Could Speed It Up: If he handles the transition to full-season ball well.

What Could Slow It Down: Any number of variables from injury to developmental issues.

February 05, 2014

In what is both the best and worst tradition of spring training, beat writers, who have the unenviable task of having to produce a story every day when there simply isn't always one, invariably write an article about how good some young pitcher in camp looks throwing bullpens or even facing some live hitters. The article will feature quotes from coaches saying how impressed they are with his velocity in their first look at said pitcher. It will contain comments from a catcher saying how he's got the best stuff of anybody on the team. And the kicker, it will contain a nondescript quote from someone in the front office that doesn't completely discount the possibility of this young phenom making the major league club, even though he has no more chance than the article's author.

In what becomes a well-written piece of unauthorized hype, the subject player is said to be doing things like "opening eyes" and "wowing his coaches" ultimately working his way into the conversation for a final roster spot of some sort. In reality, of course, the player has no more chance of making his club than he did when the trucks arrived in Florida or Arizona, but with story-lines at a premium in spring training, these are the kinds of headlines that generate interest. It's just writers doing their jobs, but it's both fun and frustrating nonetheless.

Not all prospects are eligible for the unwarranted hype. For example, Taijuan Walker has a very realistic of making the Mariners roster this spring, and the team is already penciling him into a rotation spot. Any article about how good he looks is, in fact, quite warranted. Yordano Ventura falls into the same category. He may not be as secure in his rotation spot with the Royals as Walker is with the Mariners, but his chances of making the big league rotation are legitimate and will not be the fabrication of a column deadline.

The same can not be said for the players on this list. I stuck with pitchers for now because the premium velocity that comes with young arms is the easiest thing to spot on back fields in March. None of these pitching prospects will make their team's opening day roster (barring a terrible decision), but you will read some kind of story about each of them this spring talking about how they might.

Honerable Mention

Archie Bradley - Bradley gets honorable mention because, while he shouldn't make the Diamondbacks roster for financial reasons, he is likely one of their five best pitchers and insinuating that he has a chance won't be complete hyperbole. If the Diamondbacks decide Bradley is ready, they have only a year of service time and money to lose. Any story claiming that he's ready to make the big league roster this spring will be accurate, though it doesn't mean that the Diamondbacks will have actually made that decision until they say so themselves.

Marcus Stroman - The Blue Jays would have the same financial concerns regarding Stroman (years of control, super-two, etc.) as the Diamondbacks do with Bradley, but the contingent of major leaguers standing in his way isn't as good as the ones blocking Bradley, so it would be less of a stretch to see him make the jump. Again, he probably won't, but he's going to turn some serious heads in Dunedin this spring and people will be talking.

Stephenson is going to put on a show in this his first major league spring training. Nothing creates more excitement than a plus-plus fastball popping the mitts in late February, and Stephenson can do just that. Stephenson is a wonder pitching prospect, but he'll turn just 21 this month and has only four starts in Double-A under his belt. He has zero chance to make the Reds starting rotation this spring, but that won't stop someone from making a ridiculous comparison between his fastball and Alrodis Chapman's. Stephenson's velocity is top-level, but it's not in the Chapman-shpere. No one's is. Stephenson will get a chance to face some major league hitters before he's cut and should fare just fine, especially if his curveball is on as well, but this is not his year.

Appel isn't going to wow people with eye-popping stuff the way Stephenson will (though Appel's stuff is impressive in its own right), but with his refined approach and mature demeanor both on and off the field, the ill-informed may mistake him for a major league veteran already. That coupled with his abilities and the Astros putrid major league pitching staff will bring up the inevitable questions, but the Astros have a good thing going and aren't going to mess it up by deviating from their plan. Appel should be in the majors in 2014, but it won't be in April.

Following almost the exact same storyline and path as former fellow prospect Gerrit Cole, Taillon will enter spring training, show off multiple plus pitches and make everyone wonder why he isn't already in the majors. The Pirates, however, have this down to a science at this point, making it a habit of calling up top prospects in June when the super-two deadline has passed. They're not going to change that plan for Taillon if they didn't change it for Cole, no matter what you read.

The Rockies and Butler are the perfect storm of spring training hype in that the organization has serious question marks about its rotation and Butler has perhaps the most impressive pure arm in the minor leagues. One inning in the Future's Game this July put him on the national spotlight and a month full of throwing 96-mph bowling balls to major league hitters and breaking catcher's thumbs who haven't caught him before should be enough to get the papers talking. Butler still needs time and, while the Rockies have a lot of question marks in their rotation, they also have a lot of potential answers to check out before they turn to Butler. He'll get there this year, but more than six starts in Double-A would be nice before he gets thrown to the wolves at Coors Field.

All the forces come together for Syndergaard to be the victim of major spring training hype. He's a highly touted pitching prospect who should be ready for the majors at some point in 2014. He plays for a New York team with more writers covering it than most teams, leaving them grasping for story-lines come mid-March. It's the Mets, who have a track record of letting spring training performances dictate personnel decisions, most notably with the Jenrry Mejia fiasco. And lastly, their team isn't very good, opening the door for superior talent to overtake nondescript veterans. Syndergaard won't make the Mets roster this spring, but he is impressive and should sell some papers, especially with a decent outing or two before he gets cut.